LET THE BIBLE SPEAK A Sure and Certain Law

A Sure and Certain Law

"Be Not Deceived: God is not Mocked: For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:7-8). Here, in language simple and easy to understand, we have a sure and certain law.

Paul exhorts us to "be not deceived." Self-deception is a very common thing. We must be very careful that we don't deceive ourselves into thinking we can sow one thing and reap another. God, of course, cannot be deceived but men are deceiving and being deceived.

Paul warns: "God is not mocked." If we think we can sow one thing and reap another, we would be thinking we had the power to mock God--that is, defy Him by overriding his plan. It is foolish to think that we might be able in some way to defy God and override His laws and eternal truth. Yet, the fact remains, that many have entertained such thoughts.

Both the exhortation and warning relate to the "sure and certain law," of sowing and reaping, set forth in the text. It is not possible to sow one thing and reap another. Gen. 1:11 states: "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind..." Note the words "after his kind." We cannot sow one crop and reap another. Paul stated in Acts 20:28: "For I have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God." Is it an attempt to mock God when we fail to teach such passages as I Cor. 5, where Paul instructs the church to withdraw from the fornicating brother? Is it possible to have a better plan than God's? Are we sowing to the flesh or to the Spirit when we refuse to follow the instruction in v.11, where Paul states: "...if any man that is called a brother [Christian] be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such an one no not to eat." Those who sow to the flesh"...shall not inherit the kingdom of God..."(Gal. 5:21).

"God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." That is a sure and certain law. Man cannot change it.

"If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11).

Don H. Noblin

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